How Choose a topic of interest, spend a little time researching it, have a discussion then publish the notes.

Why The main benefits are the fostering of a greater understanding of the world before we die and hopefully, to prompt further thought and discussion from our listeners.

The topic we will be nibbling on in this oddcast is Extraterrestrial Life

Topic Overview

From the most corpulent blue whale down to the tiniest viral particle—everything that has ever lived has done so on our very own tectonically plated, watery shrouded, iron cored four billion year old mote of dust. Or maybe not. Perhaps, despite the disappointing lack of findings from the SETI programme, there is a single planet or moon orbiting one of the 200 billion or so stars in the galaxy harbouring what we would recognise as life. Are we alone? Would we ever detect alien life given the distances involved? What are the odds?

Off-topic

What we’re not talking about

Peter Stringfellow

Planned obsolescence

Talking Points

Each bullet is a talking point. Sub-bullets are topics that may or may not be covered. Usage: Read the bullet and sub-bullets then talk about some or all sub-bullets.

What is life?

According to Booble: life is the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death. It’s so profoundly annoying that there isn’t even a ‘paste and match style’ option in this god forsaken whatever it is.

Tardigrades - can withstand vacuum, super high temperatures. Typically 8 legged, over 1,000 species. Can get up to 1mm in length.

Extremophiles e.g. Archaea

The God damned vastness of the universe

I simply cannot comprehend it

Milky Way 100,000–120,000 light-years across

Andromeda Nearest (Proper) galaxy to Milky Way, 2.5 million light-years from Earth - largest of our local group (population of 55 galaxies)

Nearest group is M94, 13 million light years

Our local cluster is Virgo, 110 million light years across and contains at least 100 galactic groups - including ours

It’s non-conceivable that there isn’t life elsewhere in the universe. If you doubt that proposition, you simply aren’t grasping the sheer scale of the universe. Scientists probably think the universe is ten infinities wide (in miles). Maybe twenty.

Rare earth hypothesis vs. Mediocrity principle

Planetarium or zoo hypothesis

Fermi paradox Physicist Enrico Fermi, ‘1950 Where is everyone?’

Gaia theory

Arecibo message Broadcasting our existence

Super predators

Multiverse

Timing

Would we recognise alien life?

Linear A is an ancient written language from Greece that has yet to be deciphered

Movies

2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968 Stanley Kubrick

Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 1978 Steven Spielberg

Independence Day, 1996 Roland Emmerich

Dark Star, 1974 John Carpenter

Glossary

Terminology specific to the topic

Fermi Paradox

SETI

Singularity

String Theory

UFO

Wrap Up

Details about site, contacts, next show: femininism

Outro music choice - something open source or out of copyright so we don’t get sued

Wow! signal recorded in 1977 by Jerry Ehman on SETI’s ‘Big Ear’ radio telescope which was pointed at the Sagittarius constellation near the centre of our galaxy.